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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25432903">The Resilience of Family</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OakEcho/pseuds/OakEcho'>OakEcho</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Love of Family [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Voyager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, Light Angst, Message in a bottle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:40:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,974</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25432903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OakEcho/pseuds/OakEcho</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The families reactions to the news that the Voyager crew are alive as seen from Gretchen Janeway's perspective once the EMH manages to make contact with Starfleet through the Hirogen relay.<br/>Fluff, mild angst and humour. Light J/C implied.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Love of Family [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842133</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This work is the first fan fiction I have written so any comments or constructive criticism would be appreciated. It is completely un-beta read so I apologise for any mistakes (how does one go about getting someone to beta it anyway?)<br/>This is the first of three connected stories which I have nearly finished writing:<br/>The Surprises of Family - set once Voyager makes regular contact with Starfleet<br/>The Union of Family - Set immediately post endgame (heavily J/C)<br/>I wrote this because I felt I needed the reactions of the family after that episode. I hope you enjoy it and find it satisfying.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gretchen Janeway was pottering around the kitchen. She poured herself a large cup of coffee, inhaling deeply, she sighed. Coffee always reminded her of her eldest daughter, who’s love of the stuff had rivalled that of even her. Gretchen was inspecting her cupboards and deciding what she would cook for her youngest daughter Phoebe who would be round later that afternoon for the traditional Sunday evening family meal, although that did just include two people these days. Gretchen happened to glance out of the front window and saw a familiar face walking up the path towards her house. Gretchen’s emotions did a full 360. The initial happiness of recognition of her old friend turned to dread when she realised he was wearing his Starfleet uniform. A glance further down the garden path did no more to assuage her fears for there were two more Starfleet officers standing just outside her garden gate. Gretchen’s mind immediately went back to a scene very like this one but four years prior.</p>
<p>It had been early in the morning and Gretchen was just about to leave for work. Owen Paris had turned up at her doorstep, an ensign and a councillor hovering at her garden gate. Gretchen’s shock at seeing Owen, an old friend of her late husbands, moved to terror as she saw the look which graced Owen’s face.</p>
<p>“Owen. Oh please no. What happened to Katie?”</p>
<p>Gretchen had assumed the worst when an admiral shows up at your door in uniform and she had made the correct assumption. Owen and Gretchen had cried in each other’s arms as Owen had revealed that his wayward son Tom had also been on the ship. They grieved together before the councillor took over. The Parises and the Janeways had been friends through Owen and Edward when they worked together in Starfleet and their children remained firm friends. Since Edwards death, Gretchen had lost touch with them slightly. Phoebe remained in contact with the four Paris children occasionally, particularly the two girls Laura and Helen. Since that fateful day when they had learnt that they had both lost children, the remaining Janeways and Parises had become exceptionally close. They had attended the memorial of Voyager together when they had been officially declared dead two years after they had been lost. Maura had helped Gretchen clear Kathryn’s house and box up the contents so she could rent it out.</p>
<p>Gretchen returned her thoughts to the present. None of the Paris children were currently off world or on assignment for Starfleet that she knew of. And she had spoken to Phoebe just that morning. What on earth could Owen possibly be here to tell her. What more bad news was about to befall them. As Owen approached closer to the house, Gretchen realised she had frozen and forced herself to move to unlock the door and let the Admiral inside.</p>
<p>“Gretchen.” Owen’s eyes were bright with unshed tears, but Gretchen detected a happiness and a hope behind them.</p>
<p>“Gretchen” Owen choked again. “They’re alive. Voyager is alive.”</p>
<p>“What!” Gretchen fell into the closest chair, unable to believe what she was hearing.</p>
<p>“They were dragged into the delta quadrant. They managed to transfer a hologram through an alien relay to contact us. Tom and Kathryn are alive.”<br/>Owen pulled Gretchen into a hug, so reminiscent of the scene nearly four years previous, but with happiness rather than grief. Gretchen’s brain kicked in after a few moments.</p>
<p>“The delta quadrant? How? Where are they? That could take them hundreds of years to get back Owen.”</p>
<p>“We don’t have much detail Gretchen, only that they were pulled 70,000 light years away. They have made more progress than we would have thought by their coordinates. The EMH they transferred couldn’t give us much data, but he told us that nearly half the crew were killed in the initial transport. The Marquis ship they were sent to capture was there too, and they have formed an alliance, under Katie, to get home.”</p>
<p>“Owen I’m so happy they are alive I can’t tell you, but 70,000 light years is a long way, it could take them nearly 70 years to get back couldn’t it? I think we might be very unlikely to ever live to see them home don’t you.” The shear joy that her daughter was alive was marred by the fact that they might not be able to ever meet again.</p>
<p>“We might not, but the captain of that ship is a Janeway after all, and I know they are capable of some magic now and again. We are going to ask all families to write letters and we will see if we can send them along the alien relay. It’s pretty old and clunky but we are going to have a go. They only just managed to send the hologram.”</p>
<p>“I will write one immediately! I’ll call Phoebe first, she’s due here in a few hours anyway, and we can do it together. Owen, go see Maura. I’m fine, and I’m sure you’ll insist that I speak to the councillor anyway.”</p>
<p>“Thanks Gretchen, I haven’t even told her yet, she was in a meeting so thought I’d pop here first to deliver the news.”</p>
<p>“I really appreciate it Owen, now go celebrate with your wife and children.”</p>
<p>Owen left Gretchen with her councillor, after making Gretchen promise to come to dinner the following day. The councillor talked with Gretchen and then Phoebe when she arrived and left once she was satisfied that both Janeway women were emotionally stable with the news that the daughter and sister they thought dead is actually alive, but lost to them through time and space.</p>
<p>Gretchen and Phoebe penned their letter to Kathryn. It was full of love, stories of Phoebe’s antics since she had been gone, and messages of support. Once they re-read it, Phoebe looked deep in thought. Gretchen questioned her youngest daughter.</p>
<p>“Penny for your thoughts?”</p>
<p>“Mark.” It was all she had to say.</p>
<p>“I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll comm him now. Better to get this out of the way now rather than later.”</p>
<p>The comm system buzzed as Gretchen waited for Mark to answer. Gretchen and Mark had been in regular contact when Voyager went missing and they had supported each other through the memorial. Mark had also come to her when, a few months after the memorial, he broke down in Gretchen’s kitchen. He confessed that he had fallen in love with someone for work but felt guilty for moving on from Kathryn. Gretchen had reassured him that Kathryn was gone, and she wouldn’t want him to be unhappy. She had heard of his marriage to Carla a year ago when she had bumped into them in the local market.<br/>Mark opened the comm link.</p>
<p>“Gretchen? How nice to hear from you. I hope you are well?”</p>
<p>“I’m very well thank you Mark. Actually, I’m better than alright.”</p>
<p>Gretchen paused. She could see the silhouette of a very pregnant Carla hovering in the doorway where she thought she was out of sight.</p>
<p>“Mark, Starfleet had an unexpected communication from the delta quadrant yesterday. It was from Voyager. Kathryn is alive and piloting a ship through the delta quadrant trying to find a way home.” Gretchen spouted all this at the poor man whose mouth was hanging open.</p>
<p>“Kathryn is alive?”</p>
<p>“Yes Mark, but over 50 years away from Federation Space.” Gretchen was not sure what was going through his mind, but she hoped he would gather his wits about him soon so he could reassure his pregnant wife if nothing else.</p>
<p>“Can we contact her?”</p>
<p>“We are writing letters to her, Starfleet aren’t sure they will get through though. But it is worth a try.”</p>
<p>“I’ll do just that.” Mark turned, acknowledging his wife for the first time who walked over to him and embraced her husband in a reassuring way. “I think I might have quite a lot to explain to her.”</p>
<p>“Mark. She’ll understand. Besides, for all we know she has moved on too. Congratulations by the way.”</p>
<p>Gretchen disconnected the comm and returned to the sofa with Phoebe who had been listening to the conversation.</p>
<p>“Nice man Mark. I hope he makes Carla happy. Never really saw what Kathryn saw in him though can you mom?” Phoebe asked the older Janeway.<br/>Gretchen snorted slightly into the coffee Phoebe had prepared for her.</p>
<p>“Mark worshipped the ground she walked on. He treated her like a delicate little flower and jumped for her every whim. Must have been nice for a while, but I never really saw them spending the rest of their lives together do you?”</p>
<p>“It would be just like Katie to think that what she wanted was someone who did what she asked without question. She’s such a bossy boots. But she needs someone to challenge and question her. Do you think that’s why they never married? It clearly wasn’t Mark stalling, look how quickly he married Carla and had children.” Phoebe mused about her sister, only a small hint of bitterness at Mark on her sisters behalf.</p>
<p>“I didn’t tell you this at the time Phoebe, but he was so hurt when we found out she was lost. But he was even more hurt that Katie hadn’t named him as her next of kin. Even though they had been together for 10 years and engaged for 6, it was still me. He didn’t want to make a scene, you know how timid he was but I could tell he was really shaken. Bless him. I think that helped him get over it though, that she wouldn’t set a date for the wedding, never moved in together and never made him her next of kin. Maybe when he thought about it, he would have realised that she wasn’t full invested in it, even if she didn’t realise it herself.”<br/>Phoebe let that sink in. She loved her sister, but had always thought Mark lacked the fun, fire and passion that made Kathryn who she was.</p>
<p>“How do you think she will take the news? Do you think she has moved on?” Phoebe asked her mother. 5 years younger than her sister, Phoebe had always struggled to relate to what Kathryn was going through and never could read her mind as well as her mother could.</p>
<p>“I don’t know. I think she will be pleased that he is happy. She must have realised they would have been declared dead by now. But she is so fiercely loyal. Hopefully the letter will give her some closure. As for moving on herself, she’s the captain of a ship in the delta quadrant. I’m not sure how many opportunities she is going to have for dating.” The two woman chuckled lightly at the joke and sat, lost in thought about what Kathryn would be going through.</p>
<p>“Oh, Phoebe, I’m so sorry. With all this today, I totally forgot! How is John? Didn’t you go on some romantic date last night?”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it, Katie is much more important that my failure of a love life. John is a nice man. A bit arrogant and big headed though. I got the ick. We had some wine with the meal at the restaurant and he had a bit too much and started making some rather inappropriate jokes about my, er, bodily attributes. It was loud enough for a few tables to hear so I was embarrassed and insisted we leave. Well he then tried to insist on accompanying me into my house. Well, lets just say he will not be coming anywhere near me again.”</p>
<p>“Oh god Phoebe! That’s awful! I thought he was nice? You’d been seeing him for a while hadn’t you? A couple of months? What did you do to him by the way? Just so I know if you need an alibi…”</p>
<p>“He was nice, I’d been going off him for a while but last night confirmed it for me well and truly. Three months together and you’d think you would be able to tell if someone was likely to do that. Not me apparently. Well my knee might have connected with a rather sensitive area of his. He’ll live, but hopefully his pride won’t. Why do I have such bad luck with men?”</p>
<p>Gretchen and Phoebe spent the rest of the night together, happy in the knowledge that their little family of two was actually that of three, even if one member was rather a long way away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The families of the Voyager crew meet after having been told their relatives are alive.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A month after Voyager had managed to contact Starfleet for the first time via the EMH, a meeting was called for the families of those lost on Voyager. Phoebe Janeway was stood at the front of the meeting hall next to James Paris, Toms eldest brother, but moved to greet her mother. Gretchen smiled at the thought of Phoebe spending time with James. He was a nice young man. Two years older than Phoebe, they had not been that close as teenagers but had recently found they shared rather more in common than they had initially thought. They now spent a lot of time together, both living in San Francisco. James had moved into Kathryn’s old house when he joined the medical research team at Starfleet and Phoebe had started working at an art gallery in the area. James was rather quieter and more studious than the rest of the boisterous Paris clan, but that did not mean he was unable to hold his own. He was not a pushover and Phoebe needed that as much as all the strong-headed Janeway women did, so they did not completely overpower a potential partner. Both recently single at the same time for the first time in their adult lives, Gretchen was quietly hopeful. And not that she had been gossiping, but Maura Paris was rather of the same opinion.</p>
<p>Gretchen greeted Phoebe as Admiral Owen Paris stepped onto the stage. The crowd settled into seats and the Janeways were at the back. As Gretchen looked around she realised that she was in a group of people who seemed banded together for support, and they all looked rather out of place and nervous. She did not recognise any of them from the memorial service either. Gretchen quickly surmised that these must be the families of the Marquis who were now working alongside Kathryn on their mission to get home. Gretchen smiled gently at the woman to her right and tried to be reassuring. She was determined to make them as much of the family support group that Starfleet were setting up, if they were good enough to be Kathryns crew, they were good enough to be part of the efforts at home.</p>
<p>Admiral Owen Paris cleared his throat and began to talk into the microphone placed on a small stage at the front of the hall.</p>
<p>“Good afternoon everyone. I am Admiral Owen Paris. By now you should all know that your relatives are all alive and well on Voyager which is currently on its way home from the delta quadrant. Four years ago, Captain Janeway and the crew of Voyager were sent on a three-week mission into the Badlands to investigate the disappearance of a Marquis vessel, the Val Jean. They entered the Badlands and that is where the story stopped from the point of view of Starfleet. Our recent communications with them via an alien relay tell us more of the story. Voyager was pulled into the delta quadrant by a technology unknown to those of us at Starfleet. Nearly a third of the Starfleet personnel onboard during that initial jump were killed. The Val Jean was there too, with fewer crew members and a badly damaged ship. Captain Janeway and the leader of the Marquis, Chakotay, decided they would work together to get home aboard Voyager. Chakotay has become First Officer and the other Marquis have filled in roles suited to their talents. B’Elanna Torres, for example, is the Chief Engineer. At this point I would like to stress that those of you who are here as family members for those Marquis now aboard Voyager, please do not feel apprehensive about being here. You are here as relatives of Starfleet crew. No-one is under suspicion, and your family members are willingly aboard the ship. They are not prisoners, they are members of the crew, and so we will treat them as such from a Starfleet perspective also.” Owen sighed. He knew a lot of these families felt that Starfleet had failed them. Their worlds had collapsed and most of their families had been decimated and spread out around the federation. He knew that many of the relatives who they had managed to find had not had contact with them for far longer than they had been in the delta quadrant. Those families had been very difficult to trace.</p>
<p>“This has been a difficult time for all of us, my son is aboard the ship too. But the knowledge that they are alive has been a joyous thing for all of us, despite them being so far away. Now we know where they are, Starfleet will be doing everything we can to bring them home.” Owen paused to emphasise his point and allow himself to maintain composure.</p>
<p>“Many of you wrote letters to your loved ones, these have been sent, but unfortunately we have no idea whether they have been received or not. Those of you who were not found before we sent the transmission may, of course, write a letter and we will try and send them.”</p>
<p>“On a different note, something which you may not be aware of was that the hologram which delivered this news had something else encrypted within his subroutines. Holoimages. The hologram who they transferred is their EMH and is the Chief Medical Officer onboard due to the loss of medical personnel. It seems the EMH has named himself the official photographer on board. Speaking with him, I’m not sure if the rest of the crew were aware he had encrypted these to take with him, but I for one am glad he did. I can’t go into detail about the situations which our loved ones have found themselves in, but I probably don’t need to tell you that they have been through hell and back. But they have survived together. From these photos, it seems they also have had some good times too. Not every member of the crew is in these images. They are mostly of the senior staff I’m afraid, with it being the Chief Medical Officer who took them. There are six images only, but I hope they provide each of you with as much joy as they did me.” Owen stepped to the side of the stage as the images began to be projected onto the wall above the stage.</p>
<p>Gretchen’s hand found Phoebe’s. Owen had not mentioned the images to them at all. Gretchen squeezed her daughters’ hand so hard she was sure it must have hurt when the first image appeared on the screen. Gretchen’s eldest daughters red hair was up in the bun she wore when she was on duty. She was sat in her chair on the bridge with a large dark man with a tattoo in the chair next to her. Gretchen assumed this must be Chakotay, the Marquis Captain who had joined forces with her. Behind them were the rest of the senior staff. Tuvok Gretchen recognised immediately, they had met a few times and had long been a friend to her daughter. Tom Paris also stood behind her with his Starfleet uniform on again. Gretchen could not help to think how that image must make the Parises feel. To see their wayward son back in a Starfleet uniform and as part of the senior staff of a ship. The other people Gretchen did not recognise: a half Klingon woman wearing engineering yellow, Gretchen assumed she was the Chief Engineer Owen had mentioned earlier; a young looking ensign who stood stiffly at attention where the rest of them were more relaxed; and a strange looking alien who she guessed was their moral officer that they had picked up along the way. Gretchen smiled at the image as she took it in. This was the senior staff Kathryn had chosen who would bring her home. They were an odd-looking command team. A mixture of backgrounds and cultures, they all surrounded her tiny daughter in the centre, but somehow, Kathryn still commanded the image. All the occupants of the image were smiling politely, but Gretchen could tell Kathryn did not really want to be photographed, the impatience showed only slightly in her eyes.</p>
<p>The image changed to a completely different scene. This was not a staged image, rather a snapshot of a moment in time. The image appeared to be taken on a beach somewhere, the holodeck Gretchen assumed. Kathryn was not the subject of the photograph, but her mothers eyes found her face first amongst the crowd. Kathryn sat in the sand with a blonde woman who’s face was slightly away from the camera. Both women were laughing hysterically at the small baby who was crawling in the sand between them. Gretchen smiled as she took in her daughter’s appearance. She was out of uniform, wearing a long flowing sarong over what appeared to be a swimming costume. But more importantly, she was smiling genuinely. More than smiling, she was laughing. Gretchen moved her attention the main focus of the image, Tom Paris. Tom was wearing nothing but bright coloured Hawaiian-style swimming shorts but it was his face which made her laugh out loud. He was halfway falling into the pool. His arms were flailing, and he looked shocked. The person who had pushed him was the half-Klingon woman who she had assumed was the Chief Engineer. She herself was wearing shorts and a tee-shirt rather than swimming wear, but it was clear from the way they dripped and her hair clung to her head and neck, that this was an act of revenge. She looked determined, but with a playful look in her eyes. The young ensign Gretchen had not recognised earlier was beside her doubled over in laughter. Many others were in this shot, lots of crew sitting at a bar sipping cocktails and chatting or watching the action unfold. Another group was playing catch with what appeared to be some sort of fruit or vegetable which Gretchen could not name, with the alien moral officer looking very sternly at them and attempting to get their improvised ball back.</p>
<p>The next picture was far more serene. It was clearly another shot where its occupants were unaware, but the sight of it elicited a large gulp and a sob from the Ktarian called Greskrendtregk who Gretchen had met years earlier at the memorial. The image was of a small, half-Ktarian girl curled up and fast asleep on the Captain’s chair on the bridge. To the side of the sleeping form, Chakotay sat on his chair, scooted over as far to the right as he could and Kathryn was perched lightly on the left arm of his chair. They were both engrossed in looking at the same PADD, clearly having a discussion about whatever it was. They were both relaxed, even though they were sharing the same chair. Though they were not touching, they were clearly very comfortable with being so close to each other. Phoebe squeezed her mothers’ hand. On the other side of the shot sat the blonde woman who Gretchen now thought was probably Samantha Wildman, the child’s mother. She was at the science station working, but keeping a watchful eye on the child blissfully sleeping in the captain’s chair.</p>
<p>Another image appeared, clearly another party although the scene appeared to be in a mess hall, rather than a holodeck. Tuvok’s face filled most of the screen with the stoic face of a Vulcan. His eyebrow was raised and he looked directly at the camera. Behind him three people stood doubled over in laughter, a tall thin man accompanying the moral officer and a very round Bolian. In the back of the image, a band appeared to be playing. Gretchen recognised the ensign who was part of the senior staff who was playing the clarinet.</p>
<p>Owen stood at the side of the stage for the last image to appear on the screen.</p>
<p>“This photo I rather like as it shows the whole crew and will be the one Starfleet uses for any publicity purposes.”</p>
<p>The image appeared and all the crew were stood outside their ship which was landed on some planet all in Starfleet uniforms. The senior staff were in the centre, once again towering over the captain, her larger than life personality alone compensating. Kathryn and Chakotay stood front and centre. The rest of the senior staff were behind them and the rest of the crew behind and out to the sides in front of Voyager. All were standing at ease with light smiles on their faces. It was your standard posed group shot.</p>
<p>Owen allowed people to take the people in and find their loved ones among the sea of faces, aware that for some of them this would be the only image of them. When the appropriate time had passed, he continued.</p>
<p>“That photo would have been my favourite had it not been for this one.”</p>
<p>The imaged changed again, but only subtly. This image appeared to have only been taken a few moments after the previous one, but all the people near the front centre of the shot were turned in mock disgust or shock at Tom Paris who was smiling like a goon. The half-Klingon woman was by his side again, her arm posed as if she was going to punch Tom in the arm. This was not the first image of them together playfighting. Gretchen firmly hoped that Tom had found someone to be his friend out there, if nothing else.</p>
<p>The crowd had laughed at the photo and Owen’s comments. Gretchen and Phoebe were quietly sobbing on each other’s shoulders from the emotion of seeing photos of their loved one, as were most of the crowd. Owen continued to speak, his voice a little bit choked up, but controlling himself.</p>
<p>“From the reports and from these pictures, I hope we can all see that Voyager has become one family. The crews appear to have been successfully melded together, and so should we be one support group as the friends and family of those aboard. Tea and cake are in the other room as are councillors should anyone wish to speak with them. Thank you.”</p>
<p>Gretchen and Phoebe exchanged looks; their eyes filled with tears. Gretchen and Phoebe both knew that Starfleet would never have shown them bad images, but they wept with the joy that was apparent in some of the images. At least her daughter was able to have some sort of social life and enjoyment even in the situation in which she found herself.</p>
<p>Gretchen and Phoebe hugged before letting go and allowing the blood to return to their hands. Gretchen glanced to two teenage boys who were sat beside her. They were silently crying and holding onto their mothers hand. The woman noticed Gretchen’s attention.</p>
<p>“I assume you are the Captains family then, from the photos.”</p>
<p>“Is it that obvious?” Gretchen laughed both her and Phoebe’s hands going to their own red hair.</p>
<p>“Gretchen Janeway, nice to meet you.” Gretchen extended her hand to the woman who took it eagerly in her rough but delicate hand.</p>
<p>“Louise Ayala. These are my sons Daniel and Michael. My husband is Mike and he appears to have been made a lieutenant for your daughters security team.”</p>
<p>“Lovely to meet you and your boys. I’m so grateful that they managed to make contact. And so happy that they seem to be such a family, those photos are so precious weren’t they. You’ll have to point out your husband, I’d like to get to know who’s who now we know what happened to them.”</p>
<p>“I’ll certainty point him out. He was in a couple, most obviously pissing himself laughing behind the Vulcan with the hat on.” she grinned, feeling immediately at ease with the older woman.</p>
<p>“It’s so good to know that he hasn’t lost his cheekiness out there. Although I’m not sure how well that would have gone down with a Vulcan Lieutenant Commander…” Louise trailed off, her thoughts with her husband and the hardships he must be going through on the ship.</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s Tuvok.” Gretchen reassured her. The diplomacy of being an Admirals wife rising through her.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about him, Katie’s known him for years. He’s got a face like stone but a heart like gold. He would have told them off but enjoyed it really, don’t worry.”</p>
<p>Louise Ayala nodded her acceptance of what Gretchen said and continued.</p>
<p>“I’m really glad they are all working together. I don’t know how much I can thank the captain for integrating the crews rather than imprisoning or abandoning them. I will be forever grateful…” Louise trailed off once again. Before Gretchen could answer, another voice chimed in from somewhere behind her.</p>
<p>“Me too.”</p>
<p>Gretchen, Phoebe and Louise turned to face the sound of the voice. The tall, dark woman was sat behind them, leaning forward to join in the conversation. Gretchen gave a small smile, unsure of what to say exactly.</p>
<p>“I’m sure Kathryn is grateful to them too; it can’t have been easy for many of them to integrate into Starfleet under her.”</p>
<p>Sekaya reached her hand to Gretchen’s.</p>
<p>“We all thought they were dead for a long time. No idea what happened to them, and with enough going on around us to except that they were dead like the rest of our families and try to carry on. To know that they are not only alive, but actively part of the crew trying to get a Starfleet ship home has been a bit more than many of us can comprehend. And not just part of the crew, but that they have integrated ranks completely just says so much about how valued their skills are aboard. It’s not what we expected, not what Starfleet expected, and probably not what they themselves expected but it seems to be working. I want to thank your daughter, from the bottom of my heart for giving them all a chance to prove their worth and the trust that they needed.”</p>
<p>Gretchen squeezed Sekaya’s hand and she walked off without allowing Gretchen time to reply. Gretchen turned to Louise Ayala to ask who that was. Louise shrugged.</p>
<p>“Don’t know her name, but I’m pretty sure she is Commander Chakotay’s sister. I met him a few times, nice man. She looks just like him, without the tattoo, and a much thinner frame.”</p>
<p>Phoebe stood up and left to talk to her long-time friend Helen Paris. Helen stood beside her husband, with her hand rubbing her pregnant stomach. Phoebe wanted to check how she was holding up in these emotional circumstances with the hormones running through her. Gretchen also suspected that she wanted to talk about the images with James Paris who was stood not too far from them, but Gretchen did not press the matter today.</p>
<p>Gretchen continued talking to people. Nearly all relatives there wanted to talk to the mother of the Captain - particularly those of the former Marquis. Though many of those seemed both eager to talk to her but also rather shy and wary of her links to Starfleet and how she has taken the merging of the crews. She soon put them at ease, and they started chatting more freely to the rest of the families. Eventually, Gretchen found herself next to Owen and Maura Paris who had also done the rounds.</p>
<p>“Everyone seems to be integrating pretty well here too. I’m glad I told everyone to neglect the uniforms, makes everyone on the same page with regards to their loved ones, don’t you?”</p>
<p>Admiral Paris had been wearing his uniform when he gave his speech as a representative of Starfleet, however he had quickly changed for mingling with the relatives.</p>
<p>Gretchen grabbed herself a hot cup of black coffee and breathed in the scent. It always calmed her nerves and gave her the energy to continue through the toughest times in her life, when her husband died and when she thought Kathryn had too.</p>
<p>“It’s good to see Tom has not lost that cheeky charm I remember.” Gretchen commented.</p>
<p>“Yes, well hopefully he has learnt to separate that from when he has to be serious.” Owen commented.</p>
<p>“But I feel sorrier for Katie who has to try and put up with him and reign him in.” Maura chimed in, squeezing her husbands hand reassuringly, trying to bring him out of him moment of melancholy for her husband and youngest son had not parted on the best of terms.</p>
<p>Gretchen laughed with her friend.</p>
<p>“Well yes quite, though he seems the half-Klingon is having a pretty good go of that from what we saw of the images. I’m so glad they have at least been able to have some fun out there.”</p>
<p>The three friends found themselves in comfortable silence looking around the room at those present. Gretchen found herself looking at her youngest daughter. She was laughing with Laura Paris and the woman who they had assumed was Chakotay’s sister. They were by the projections of the images they had been shown earlier and were clearly dissecting the images together.</p>
<p>Owen and Maura had found themselves looking at the trio too. They all appeared around the same age, and clearly were getting on well.</p>
<p>“That is Commander Chakotay’s sister. She was off world when their home planet was destroyed, I spoke to her personally when we finally managed to make contact with her. She thinks he believes she is dead. We were not able to make contact in time to send a letter to him either, so he still does not know he has any family left alive. I feel awful that we didn’t find her in time, but it was only a rumour that she was alive anyway. And not having last names makes it tricky to trace but there we are. At least we found her in the end. She seems to be getting on well with our Laura and Phoebe. Sekaya is an artist too, something with traditional sand painting? I don’t know, I don’t get these artsy types.” Owen smiled as his wife elbowed him gently in the ribs.</p>
<p>“Excuse me mister. Laura is a graphic designer and I am definitely more on the artsy end of the spectrum than you two here.”</p>
<p>“Oiy, I’m not science-y, I just tell people what to do.” Owen prodded his wife back, enjoying the lightness of their teasing. “Besides, its Dr Mathematics Professor over here that’s the science-y one.” Owen directed at Gretchen.</p>
<p>Gretchen laughed.</p>
<p>“And Edward was science-y too. I don’t know where Phoebe gets it really.”</p>
<p>“Well James is definitely on the science-y end of it, I hope he can put up with your artsy girl don’t you Gretchen?” Maura laughed with her friend.</p>
<p>Owen jumped.</p>
<p>“What are you two up to? No matchmaking. Leave the poor children alone.”</p>
<p>Gretchen laughed with her friends old and new. Many stories were swapped about their relatives aboard Voyager, and everyone came away feeling like they knew the rest of their loved ones fellow crewmen personally. Comm details were swapped and promises to keep in touch were made. Gretchen left later that evening feeling much lighter and content than she had done in years.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading my first fan fiction. Hope you enjoyed it. Any comments would be appreciated.<br/>The next story in this series, The Surprises of Family, will be up shortly and will focus on when they manage to make video link with Starfleet, first from the perspective of Gretchen on Earth, then aboard Voyager.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading the first chapter of my first work. Please let me know what you think!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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